Businesses in Southbank

11 Feb 2016

While having recently undergone a major refurbishment, Tutto Bene owner Tamara Volkoff said the soulful “hub” of the restaurant was still very much the same.

As Southbank’s oldest and most loved Italian eatery, Ms Volkoff said it was vital that renovations didn’t upset the dynamic that locals have come to love over many years.

“The biggest part is that Tutto Bene has been here for 11 years so we wanted to make sure that we kept what we call is the hub of Tutto Bene,” she said.

“It’s cozy, it looks like it’s been here for a long time and it needs to be that traditional comfort feeling that you’ve walked in and you’ve been here before.”

As part of the upgrade, Tutto Bene has expanded both its kitchen and dining area going from 100 to 150 seats, refurbished its famous mid-level terrace seating area, and upgraded its renowned gelato service.

Ms Volkoff said a key inspiration for the new-look terrace was to provide a scenic location for customers to enjoy its brand-new breakfast menu.

“Part of fitting out the terrace was so we could do a little bit more of that coffee part and we really wanted to bring that breakfast aspect, which does so well in Southgate,” she said.

“You’ve got all the locals, your regulars and they just need somewhere where it’s easy and they’re still getting that beautiful view and you don’t have to open up the whole restaurant.”

And as it’s made a habit of doing for more than a decade, the restaurant has gone above and beyond to deliver a one of a kind and quality breakfast offering, such as hiring a specialist pastry chef to make its croissants (pictured) in house.

Head chef Nathan Scarfo said the new menu was based on a combination of quality and simplicity.

“My biggest thought was keeping it simple,” he said. “I thought a lot about the time I spent in Italy and thought how I enjoyed my breakfast over there and it was always on the go.”

“It’s like espresso coffee. You go in grab something quick and off you go. That’s where the inspiration for a lot of the meals came from and all of the meals can be pumped out in under three minutes so it’s quick espresso eating.”

And as it has done since the beginning, Ms Volkoff said Tutto Bene would provide its loyal customers with nothing but the best and that everyone at the restaurant was excited to be back serving the community.

“It’s great to be open again after the extra month of delays,” she said.

“One of the things we really wanted to avoid was we didn’t want to have pre-made things. We’re talking fast but we’ve got to make it for you.”

“Our customers are very, very loyal. Part of what we try to build is that customer relationship so we remember them and they remember us and it’s not hard.”

Tutto Bene is located on mid-level Southgate and is open seven days a week.